In a match that stretched the limits of endurance on the hard courts of Beijing, Amanda Anisimova claimed a hard-fought victory over Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals of the China Open. The American, showing her trademark resilience, turned the tide after dropping the first set to advance with a score of 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4. It took nearly three hours—2 hours and 50 minutes exactly—for Anisimova to seal the deal, a testament to both players' unyielding fight on Thursday.
Paolini, the sixth seed and riding high after a strong run through the draw, started aggressively, forcing a tiebreaker in the opener where she edged ahead. Indeed, her baseline play looked sharp early on, mixing power with precision that has defined her breakout year. But Anisimova, no stranger to comebacks after her own hiatus from the tour, regrouped in the second set. She broke serve at crucial moments, her forehand booming through the Diamond Court as if to remind everyone of her potential. Moreover, the third set saw Paolini falter slightly under pressure, perhaps the toll of a packed schedule catching up.
This win marks Anisimova's seventh quarterfinal appearance this season, a quiet surge that's flown somewhat under the radar amid the tour's bigger names. Paolini, for her part, had dispatched earlier opponents convincingly, including a straight-sets win over Eva Lys in the round of 16. Their head-to-head now tilts further in Anisimova's favor, with this being just their second meeting. However, it's the American's ability to grind out results like this that hints at deeper form returning—subtle, yet insistent.
Anisimova now eyes a semifinal spot, facing stiffer competition ahead in a tournament that's already delivered its share of surprises. One wonders if this gritty performance signals a turning point in her season, or merely another step in an unpredictable journey.